Music-leaf turner.



No. 794,126. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

S. C. SHAW.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

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No. 794.126.' PATENTED JULYL 1905. S. C. SHAW.

MUSIC LEAF TURNER.

APPLICATION HLED JULY z, 1904.

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S. C. SHAW. MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

APPLIGATION FILED JULY 2, 1904.

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MUSIC LEAP TURNER.

APPLI01.\T10N FILED JULY 2. 1904.

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No. 794,126. PATBNTBD JULY 4,1905.

s. c. SHA MUSIC LB BR.v

APPLICATION ULY 2, 1904.

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No. 794,126. PATENTED JULY 4, 1905.

s. c. SHAW. MUSIC-LEAP TU'RNBR- APPLIGATION FILED JULY 2, 1904.

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Patented July 4, 1905.

PATENT OFFICE.

SLATER OOWART SHAW, OF NORFOLK, VIRGINIA.

MUSIC-LEAF TURNER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 794,126, dated July 4,1905.

Application filed July 2, 1904. Serial No. 215,164.

To all whom it may concern.'

Beit known that I, SLATEe OowART SHAW, a citizen of the United States,residing at Norfolk, in the county of Norfolk ,and the State ofVirginia, have invented a new and useful Music-Leaf Turner, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention relates to an attachment especially designed for use onpianos, though not limited to use in combination with such instruments,the object of which is to turn the leaves of a musical composition,either in book or sheet form.

An object of the invention is to provide such an attachment which canhave its operating mechanism in themain incased within the musicalinstrument to which it is attached and of which it is practically apart.

A further object is to provide means for operating the mechanism, or forsetting free springs which will operate it, within easy reach of thehands and feet of the player, and by thus dividing the operative meansbetween foot-pedals and hand-stops a multiplicity of either, which wouldbe confusing to the player, is avoided, and the entire mechanism iscontrolled bytwo pedals and two stops.

The invention consists in the novel features of construction andcombination of parts hereinafter described, particularly pointed out inthe claims, and shown in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1is a perspective view of a piano, parts being broken away and having mymusicleaf turner applied thereto. Fig. 2 is a vertical section takenthrough the sounding and key boards and showing the position occupied bythe various parts of my device with reference to the sounding-board andkeyboard of the piano. Fig. 3 is a longitudinal section through thecasing containing the iinger-moving mechanism and carrying theleaf-turning fingers, the lingers being shown in plan. Figs. 4 and 5 aredetail perspective views of the finger-tripping slide. Fig. 6 is adetail sectional view. Fig. 7 is a transverse section through the casingand tripping-slide. Fig. 8 is a section on the line 8 8 of Fig. 3, theslide being omitted. Figs. 9 and 10 are detail views, partly in section,showing the manner of pivoting the fingers. Fig. 11 is aside View of thelnger-tripping slide, partly in section, an outer cover-plate beingremoved. Fig. 12 is a view in elevation of the leaf-turning fingers andthe actuating mechanism, the casing beingin section. Fig. 13isaverticalsection through the casing containing the mechanism inclosedwithin the piano-case. Fig. 14 is an irregular section on the line 14 14of Fig. 13. Fig. 15 is a section on the line 15 15 of Fig. 13. Fig. 16is a detail perspective view of various portions of the mechanism shownin plan in Fig. 13, the various parts being detached from the casing andfrom each other. Fig. 17 is a front face view ofthe music-rack andcasing carried by piano. Fig. 18 is a partial end view. Fig. 19 is adetail view, partly in section, showing the manner of locking the endrack-bars to the inger-carrying casing. Fig. 2O is a plan view of thepedals controlling the iinger-actuating mechanism. Fig. 21 is a verticalelevation of the pedals, the piano-casing being shown in section. Fig.22 is a section on the line 22 22 of Fig. 20. Fig. 23 is a sideelevation of the hand-operated release mechanism arranged under thekeyboard of the piano, shown in section, the release being actuated bythe right hand. Fig. 24 is a plan view of the attachment shown in Fig.23. Fig. 25 is a detail perspective view of the attachment controlled bythe left hand. Figs. 26, 27, 28, and 29 are detail views ofpulley-holding brackets.

The above-described invention will be more clearly understood by bearingin mind that the leaf-turning fingers are carried by an eX- teriorcasing mounted upon the front of the piano A and actuated byspring-actuated mechanism arranged in the said casing, and the action ofthe said mechanism is regulated by mechanism carried in an interiorcasing arranged in the rear of the sounding-board A and which iscontrolled by foot and hand operated attachments projecting from thefront of the piano below the keyboard.

In Fig. 1 of the drawings the piano A carries above the keyboard aspecially-constructed music-rack B, and above the music-rack is arrangedthe casing O, carrying the leaf-turn- IOO ing lingers C', the rack Bdepending from the casing C and beingl adjustable with reference to thecasing C.

The operation of the various parts will be best understood by firstconsidering in detail the mechanism carried by the casing D, arrangedwithin the piano case. Sliding' in Vertical guideways D/, arranged inthe casing D, is a block D, having on opposite sides wedge-shapedrack-teeth D, all of which are downwardly inclined. Eyes are attached toeach end of the block D2, and to these eyes are secured cables D'1 andD5, the cable D L extending upwardly through an opening in the top ofthe casing and passing over a pulley D, carried uupon the top of thecasing D. The cable Dn extends downwardly and passes over the pulley D7,one of a number secured in the lower portion of the casing D, and passesout through an opening DB. formed in the lower portion of the casing D.Arranged within the casing and parallel to the block D2 is an openrectangular slidable frame having eyes carried in its upper and lowerend members, and this frame E is adapted to be moved vertically, andpivoted between the side members of the frame E is a pawl E',wedge-shaped, and a curved spring' E, carried by the lower end member ofthe frame E, normally holds the pawl E in engagement with one of therackteeth D3 of the block Fi. A coil-spring E has its upper end securedto a block E", carried by the casing' D, and its lower end is connectedto the eye carried by the upper member of the frame E. To the eyecarried by the lower end member of the frame E is connected the cable E,which passes downward and over the pulley E and thence out the openingD, parallel to the cable D5. On the opposite side of the block Dzfromthe frame 'E there is pivoted within the casingl D a pawl F, the lowerend of which is adapted to engage the teeth D, formed on that side o't'the block D2, and the upper end o'l' the pawl is curved, and when thelower end is in engagement with a tooth D3 the curved upper end projectsover a suitable slot, channel, or guideway in which a block Fl isadapted to slide, and the block F/ has a-beveled lower end F2, adaptedto engage the curved end of the pawl F and to force the pawl F out ofengagement with the teeth D3, a spring F3 bearing on the lower endportion of the pawl F and tending to normally hold the same inengagement with the teeth D3. An eye of the usual kind is secured to oneside oli' the block F, and to this eye is secured an end of a cable F2which extends downwardly and over a pulley F" and thence outwardlythrough the opening D8. The pawl E is also rounded upon one sideadjacent its upper end, and when its lower end is in engagement with atooth Di the rounded end portion of the pawl is projected over asuitable channel-way in which slides a block G, similar in constructionto the block F. A coil-spring G is secured at its lower end to asuitable block carried by the casing D below the block G, and at itsupper end it is secured to an eye carried by the lower end of the blockG. The upper end of the blochr G is beveled and is adapted to engage theupper end portion ot' the pawl E and 4l`orce the lower end of the saidpawl out of engagement with the teeth DI. To an eye carried by the sideof the block is secured a cable G2, which passes upwardly and over apulley G and thence downwardly and over a pulley G't and thenceoutwardly through the opening D8. The upwardly-extcnding cable D4extends to the casing C, and the cables and F run to the right and leftpedals, respectively.

Referring more especially to Figs. 20, 2l, and 22, it will be noted thatwithin the pianocasing A is arranged on the floor ot' said casing abracket H, comprising a base-plate and parallel upwardly-extending armsat each corner of the plate. The foot-pedals H' and H2 are pivotallyhung adjacent their inner ends on a pintle H3, carried by the rear armsolf the bracket H. The forward arms project above the pedals and on eachside ot' same, and in these arms are journaled the ends of a shaft H",on which are mounted idle pulleys Hr. Eyes are inserted in the upperface ot' the pedals adjacent and in advance of the pulleys, and thecable E5 runs over one of these pulleys and is connected to the eyecarried by the right-hand pedal HQ and the cable Fl runs over the otherpulley and is connected to the eye carried by the pedal H2 on theleft-hand side. It will be noted 'from Fig. 22 that the portion of thepedals within the casing A are angled in cross-section, the angledportion of the pedal H2 overhanging or overlapping that o't' the pedalH., the latter being' the main pedal and capable of independentoperation; but when the pedal Hz is depressed both pedals are actuated.The pedals project through a suitable opening in the piano-casing t andeX- terior of same may have any desirable con* figuration.

rlhe casing C is connected in any desired manner to the `front of thepiano-casing' and adjacentthe upper edge or top of the same. The casingC has an opening C formed in its front and intermediate its ends, and inthis opening is arranged vertically a shaft C, and on this shaft, whichis fixed, is arranged alternately the fingers C and cups or bearings C".One side, preferably the lower side, of each linger C is recessed, asshown at C5, thcshalt (Il passing through the recesses. Cylindrical cupsare arranged on the shaft, the cups resting on one of the lingers andprojecting into the re cess of the adjacent linger, and in each cup isarranged a spring C, one end of which is secured in an aperture formedin the shaft (,3 and the opposite end being secured in the wall of thecup C4. Each cup is also formed with a lug C7, which projects into asupplemental recess or socket formed in the wall of the re- IOO ITO

cess Cr. By this arrangement each finger is independent of the other andmay be swung pivotally on the shaft C2 without having a tendency to movethe other fingers. Vhen a finger is swung, however, out of its normalposition, which is shown in Fig. 3, the spring C, arranged in the cupC2, connected to the said finger by means of the projecting lug C', istwisted on the shaft, and when the force actuating the finger C' isremoved the tension of the spring CG returns the finger C' to its normalposition.

The fingers C' are ofvvarying lengths, as shown in Figs. l and 17, andare angled, their outer free end portions extending downwardly, and tothe lower end of each Enger, the fingers all terminating in the samehori- Zontal plane, is secured a spring clip Us, adapted to engage theleaf of music to be turned. The inner end of each finger C' is in theshape of an arrow-head and is provided with a beveled edge C9. Toactuate these fingers singly and successively, I arrange in the casing Ca sliding plate J, which has one side cut away to form a series of stepsJ', each step being beveled and adapted to coact with the beveled edgeC2 of one of the fingers C'. The plate J is arranged on edge, and thesteps are so formed that the first or upper step willengage the upper`or longest of the fingers C' and the lowest and shortest finger C' willbe engaged last. In order that the plate J may slide smoothly, it isprovided with double sides or ianges J2, those along the upper edge ofthe plate extending the entire length of the plate and thosev along thelower edge from the rear end of the plate to a point adjacent the lowestand rearmost step J'. The flanges J2 along the upper edge are spacedapart by the skeleton frame J3, and between the two flanges are arrangedsets of rollers J2 and J 2, the rollers Jl being of greater diameterthan those upon the opposite side of the frame J 2. and marked J". Aroller or disk J 2 is also mounted between the lower set of angescorresponding to the rollers J 5, and rollers J 7 are carried betweenthe said fianges corresponding to the rollers J". By referring to thesectional view in Fig. 7 it will be noted that the plate J lies adjacentthe front side of the casing C. By means of parallel cleats K, securedto the inner sides of the casingG, grooves are formed, in which run therollers just described, the smaller rollers J2 and J 5 running betweenthe cleats K, carried by the front plate of the casing, and the largerrollers J2 and J 7 extending to and running in the grooves or guidewaysformed by the cleats K, carried by the rear side of the casing C. Theplate J carries on its inner side a block L, having eyes connectedthereto, and the cable DA2 is broughtinto the casing over a pulley L'and connected to one eye of the block L. A coil-spring L2 is connectedat one end to the other eye of the block L and at its opposite end issecured in the end of the casing C to the rear of the plate J.

Blocks M are carried by the ends of the casing C and are grooved, asshown at M', perforations M2 being formed between the grooves. Amusic-rack B has vertical side members N, provided with shoes N',adapted to slide in the grooves M', the edges of the grooves beingundercut. The side members of the rack B are also perforated to alinewith the perforations in the blocks M and carry spring-pressed hookmembers N2, having ends adapted to pass through the perforations in thesaid side members of the rack and engage the perforations M2. The rack Bcan therefore be adjusted a varying distance from the case of the pianoA for a purpose to be hereinafter specified. The music-rack also carriesa central vertical bar N3, having ratchetteeth formed thereon. Themusic-rest N2, carried by the rack B, is slidable upon the verticalmembers of the rack and carries a pawl or hook member N5, similar to thehook members N2, which has a hook end adapted to project through aperforation in the rest N2 and engage the teeth in the bar N2, therebylocking the music-rest N2 in its adjusted position.

The leaf-turning mechanism is operated by the pedal heretoforedescribed; but it is also necessary to provide for turning back all orany of the leaves, either when the piece has been finished or when ithas been partly played through and it is necessary to repeat one or moreof the pages already played. This is provided for by two pieces ofmechanism operated by the right and left hands, respectively, and whichcontrol mechanism already described in connection with casing D. On theunder side of the keyboard within easy reach of the left hand of theplayer I secure a bracket O, having av central depending rib, whichcarries a sleeve O'. A piston or plunger O2, considerably longer thanthe sleeve, is adapted to slide in the sleeve and carries on its outerend a circular disk or head (J3, which serves as a handle to be graspedby the fingers. The inner end of the piston is formed with an eye, andto the same is secured the upper outer end of the cable G2. Under thekeyboard and to the right of the player is secured a metal bracketframeP, from the inner end of which depends a stud or pivot-pin P'. Adjacentthe forward end of the bracket-frame one of its arms carries a dependingstud P2, on which is mounted a pulley P3. Anopen rectangular frame Pidepends from the bracket, the frame being curved on the arc of a circleand forms a slideway for a lever P. The inner end of this lever ispivoted to the pin P' and adjacent its outer end carries on the side averticallyarranged disk P, adapted to be pressed by the thumb. Acoil-spring P' is secured at one end to a pin projecting downwardly fromIZO ISO

an arm of the frame I) and at its opposite end to :the lever P2 andnormally holds the lever to the left-hand end of the frame 1- that is,the end adjacent the player. The outer end portion of the cable D passesover the pulley P3 and is secured to the lever Pf. rl`he various cablesin passing from the casingD to the front of the piano are passed oversuitably-arranged pulleys held in brackets, as shown at Q in Fig. 26, Sin Figs. 28 and 29, and at R in Fig. 27. As the bracket R carries all ofthe cables, it may be stated that the pulley R carries the cable Ff tothe main or right-hand side pedal, the pulley R2 the cable F'l to theleft or reversing pedal, the pulley R2 the cable G2 to the releasingdevice, and the pulley It" the cable D5 to the release-control stop.

Having described the various parts in full, their operation may bebriefly summed up as follows: Assuming that the parts are as shown inthe drawings, by pressing down the main pedal H' the frame IC in thecasing D is drawn downward by the cable E", and the pawl IC engages atooth D3 of the block and forces the block one step downward, and thetooth D3 on the opposite side of the block D2 to the step engaged by thepawl E is engaged by the pawl F, and when the spring E draws upward theframe E on removal of the foot from the pedal the block D2 is held fromreturning to its normal position by the pawl F. It is obvious that byrepeated movements of the foot the block D2 is successively moveddownwardly step by step, and each of these downward movements exerts apull upon the cable D". As this cable is connected to the sliding plateJ in the casing C, each downward step in the movement of the block D2imparts a forward step to the plate J, and each of these steps on thepart of the plate J brings a step J into engagement with one of thelingers C, .which is forced through an are of approximately one hundredand eighty degrees and is held in such position against the torsial pullof the spring C by pressure of the plate J. In the drawings I have showna device with siX of the fingers C' and of course an equal number ofsteps on the plate J and of teeth on each side of the block D2; but itwill be obvious that any number can be employed within reasonablelimits. IVhen the composition has been finished or it is desired to turnback to a former page, the left pedal H2 is depressed, and this alsodepresses the right or main pedal H, so that cables E and F1 are bothacted upon. The cable F2 draws down the block F, which strikes andthrows the pawl F out of engagement with the teeth D2; but as the blockE has also been drawn downward the block D2 is held in position and doesnot immediately fly back, thereby turning the pages instantaneously andruiming the risk of tearing them and making more or less noise;

but as the pedal H2 is pressed down the plunger-head O2 is grasped bythe lingers and drawn outward, and through the medium of the eable G2the block G is drawn upward and, striking the pawl E' adjacent its upperend, releases the same from engagement with the teeth D2 of the block D.It will be noted that as the block D2 is moved downward the slack in thecable D"` is taken up by the spring I7 gradually throwing the lever P2to the left; but it will be understood that the spring P* is not strongenough to have any appreciable effect on the action of the spring L2.The right hand in the meantime grasps the disk or handle P and permitsthe same to be gradually drawn back to its normal position, and theleaves are thus turned back as slowly as desired, and the backwardmovement may be stopped at any point desired by releasing the pedal H2.I'Vhen all of the pages are to be turned back, it is not necessary toretain the foot on the pedal H2, as it will be noted that the bracket .His pivoted at its rear end on the plate H, its forward end swings on thesegmental wear-plate H7, and the opening' A", from whence the levers Hand H2 project, is reduced in height at one end, as shown at A, and bymeans of a lateral pressure on the pedals they are swung into thisreduced portion of the opening' A2 and held in their depressed position.

From the above description it will be noted that the turning of theleaves is under the control of the player, not only as to the directionin which they are turned and the number turned, but in turning' themback they can be turned quickly or slowly, as may be desired, and allmay be turned back or only a portion of them.

It is obvious that the cables may be of cord or wire, that pulleys maybe placed as may be found necessary in various makes of pianos, and thatweights might be substituted for some of the springs without departingfrom the spirit of my invention. It will also be obvious thattl'ien'iusic-rack B can beadjusted outwardly to accommodate books ofvarying thickness and vertically to adjust the rack for use with musicin book and sheet form.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new, anddesire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

l. A device of the kind described comprising a casing adapted to besecured to a piano, said casing having an opening in the front thereof,a shaft secured vertically in the opening, a plurality of leaf-turninglingers loosely mounted in vertical alinement on the said shaft, eachfinger being recessed adjacent the shaft, a plurality of cups looselymounted on the shaft and alternating with the fingers, cach cupextending in the recess of a linger, a spring arranged in each cup, thesaid spring having one end secured to the cup and the other end to theshaft, means connecting the cups and fingers, and means for successivelymoving the said fingers.

2. The combination with a piano, of a casing having an opening therein,a'plurality of leaf-turning fingers having their inner ends projectinginto the said opening, a slidable finger-tripping plate having a seriesof steps formed on one of its sides adapted to engage successively withthe inner ends of' the fingers, and means for moving the plate step bystep.

3. The combination With a piano, a casing having an opening therein andadapted to be secured to the piano-front, pivoted leaf-turning fingerscarried by the said casing and having beveled end portions projectinginto the opening, springs adapted to normally hold the lingers adjacentthe side of the casing to the right of the opening, a slidable platecarried Within the casing and having a series of beveled steps adaptedto successively engage the beveled ends of the fingers, means for movingthe plate step by step, and means for entirely or partially retractingthe plate at the will of' the operator.

4. A device of the kind described comprising a casing having an openingtherein, a shaft in the opening, a plurality ofl leaf-turning fingersmounted loosely on the shaft and having end portions projectinginto theopening, longitudinally arranged guideways arranged within the casing, aplate cut to form a series of steps along one edge, rollers mounted onthe plate and adapted to travel in the guide- Ways, and means foradvancing the steps of the plate into engagement with the innerprojecting ends of the lingers, as and for the purpose-set forth.

5. A device of the kind described comprising a piano-casing carrying amusic-rack, a casing arranged upon the piano above the said rack, thecasing having an opening therein, leaf-turning fingers pivotally carriedby the casing, said fingers having end portions projecting from theopening, said lingers being angled and of varying lengths, spring-clipsconnected to the outer, lower ends of the fingers, a sliding platehaving a series of steps formed thereon, an operating mechanism arrangedWithin the piano, a foot-pedal adapted to actuate the said mechanismstep by step, a cable connecting the mechanism to the sliding plate andadapted to draw the steps of the plate into engagement with the fingers,a spring adapted to Withdraw the plate from engagement With thejlingers, andsprings adapted to return the fingers'to their normalposition on Withdrawal of the plate.

6. A device of the kind described comprising a casing, a toothed blockadapted to slide therein, a movable block carrying a pavvl adapted toengage the teeth of the slidable block, a pivoted pawl adapted to engagethe teeth of' the block, a pedal, acable connecting the pedal and themovable block, leaf-turning fingers, mechanism adapted to actuate thesaid fingers, a cable connecting the toothed block to saidfinger-actuating mechanism, and means for returning the block andfingers totheir normal positions.

7. In combination with a casing carried by the front of a pianoandcarrying fingers and finger-actuating mechanism, a casing carriedwithin a piano, atoothed block adapted to slide in said casing, a cableconnecting one end of the said block to the nger-actuating mechanism inthe first-mentioned casing, a lever pivoted upon the under side of' thepiano-keyboard, a cable connecting the opposite end of the toothed blockto the said lever, a spring connected at one end to the lever andadapted to move the lever to take up the slack in the last-mentionedcable, means for moving the toothed block step by step in the directionof the last-mentioned cable, and means for returning it to its normalposition, as and for the purpose set forth.

8. In combination with a piano-casing having an opening reduced inheight adjacent one end, pedals pivoted Within the casing and projectingfrom'the opening, pivoted leaf-turning fingers, a sliding plate havingsteps formed thereon adapted to successively engage the iingers, amovable toothed block, a movable block carryingapawl adapted to engagethe toothed block, a pivoted fixed paWl adapted to engage the teethofthe block, a movable block adapted to engage the fixed pawl, a cableconnecting the pavvl-carrying block to one of said pedals, a cableconnecting the block adapted to engage the fixed pavvl to the otherpedal, a cable connecting 'the toothed block to the slidable steppedplate, a spring adapted to retract said plate, a release-controllinglever, a cable connecting the release-controlling lever to the toothedblock, and means for releasing the toothed block from engagement Withthe pawl carried by the movable block.

9. In a music -leaf turner comprising a toothed movable block, means formoving the block step by step means for returning the block to itsnormal position, and a release- .controlling device comprising a bracketsecured below the piano-keyboard, a lever pivoted to said bracket, aspring connected at one end to the bracket and at the opposite end tothe lever, and a cable connecting the lever and the rlrliovable block,as and for the purpose set fort 10. A music-leaf' turner adapted to beattached to a piano comprising pedals having overlapping flanges, saidpedals being pivoted Within the piano-casing and projecting through anopening reduced in size adjacent one end, leaf-turning fingers carriedadjacent the music-rack of the piano, a slidable plate adapted to engageand turn the fingers, a movable toothed block, pawls adapted to engagethe said block, a cable connecting the toothed block and the slidableplate, a movable frame IOO IIO

ISO

carrying one of the pzuvls, a cable connecting' block, a lever Carriedby the under side ol' the IO the movable frame to one ol' the pedals, akeyboard, aoable Conneobingtlle toothed block block adapted to engagethe other pzuvl, a eaand the said lever, and a spring connected to bleconnecting the blool and the remaining' the lever and adapted to take upthe slack ln 5 pedal, a movable bloel; adapted to engage the tbelasts-mentioned cable.

pawl carried by the movable frame, a sleeve SLA-TER COWART SHAW. carriedby the under sigle of the piano-key- Vitnesses: board, :L plunger insaid sleeve, a cable oon- O. C. DAWSON,

neeting said plunger to the last-mentioned Gmo. M. HERBERT.

